Deathly Choice
by swhm98
Summary: One fine night, Nico di Angelo witnesses his father, Hades, take the souls of two innocent demigods with an evil intention to use them as baits for his deeds. As brave as he is, Nico volunteers to help Hades with his deeds but clearly decides for himself that he doesn't want to be like his father. Together with the two demigods, they go on a journey to seek two of the eldest gods.
1. Chapter 1

Hey lovely readers! As you guys can probably tell already, I'm a big fan of uncle Rick's PJ and HoO series and deeply in love with the mysterious and charismatic Nico di Angelo *screams internally* I'm sure I'm not the only one madly in love with this beautiful guy despite his quiet nature (that's probably the reason why I love him so much though) Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this wacky fan fiction that I've decided to write, and enjoy your time here. (:

PS: I will be making amendments here and there, so pardon me if it gets messy sometimes :)

**Chapter 1**

It was a rather busy day for Nico di Angelo. He sighed as he looked at the endless queue of spirits eager to get into the Underworld. From where he was, he saw that the dead ranged from children to the elderly people. They were all lined up in a row, most of them looking especially gloomy. Whatever the case, Nico knew it was going to take a long time to be done with this task. With a grim expression, he took a slip of paper from the old man that was first in queue, and squinted at the words.

"Kyle Daley, 57 years of age. Retiree, used to work in a rubber factory. Date of death:12 June. Reason: old age. Am I right?" Nico read off the death slip. The old man gazed at Nico, his forehead creased into fine lines that spoke of his age and experiences.

"Yes… Where do I go now, may I ask?" Kyle asked politely while Nico gave it some thought.

"You'll be heading to the Asphodel Meadows, Mr Daley. Charon will bring you there." Nico gestured for the old man to get into the boat that was resting on the surface of River Styx just behind him. Charon got to work, whisking Kyle away to the meadows, where ordinary souls like Kyle would spend their afterlives at. Nico watched them go, biting back a sigh. He hated seeing sad souls like Kyle, souls that didn't have anyone by their side. On the other hand, more souls gradually joined the queue, impatient to get into the Underworld, and Nico knew he couldn't afford to waste anymore time.

Hours passed as Nico read from the slips of the souls, considering the places that they should be sent to. Most of them were ordinary souls and were sent to Asphodel Meadows like Kyle, and a lucky few that were good samaritans in their past lives were allowed to go to the Elysian Fields. Not that they were really alive anymore.

Nico heaved tiredly as he sent the last soul away to his destination before casting a barrier to seal off the entrace. The few fresh souls that had just arrived rammed into transparent sealed barrier, desperate to get in.

"Sorry guys, end of work for today. You must wait till tomorrow." He gave them one last look and walked away, ignoring the eyes that were hot on him, boring into his head. He got onto Charon's boat which was apparently waiting for him, and tossed him a few golden drachmas.

"The palace please." Nico said as he surveyed the Underworld below him.

The underworld was huge with large buildings that looked like prisons to him, and the air stank of death. The place was divided into three sections, the Elysian Fields, and the Asphodel Meadows. The third one was Tartarus, a place which Nico had never seen before, but the sound of the place frightened him. It was beneath the Underworld with a hidden entrance so deep even Nico didn't know where to look for it. He scanned the ground beneath him and for the first time, he felt choked. Smoke billowed from deep down, rising into the air. Strangled yelps filled the air, probably the screams of the damned souls being tortured. Their shrill screams resonated in his ears, and Nico winced a little. He spotted several souls making their way to their respective places, most of which were heading to Asphodel Meadows. They didn't look quite happy. _Death is not something to be happy about anyway,_ Nico thought silently, before closing his eyes and letting sleep encumber him.

It seemed like only seconds before Nico felt someone nudging him, trying to wake him up. His eyes flew open, and he jolted awake out of his sleepy trance, scanning the place around him. The fields below him were still swarming with souls, and the air was mustier than usual.

"Mr Angelo, we're here." Charon's voice rang in Nico's ears, and Nico turned around to face a humongous building that stood towering over him. He swallowed hard, but managed a thank you to Charon as he stepped out of the boat and onto the platform which led to the entrance of Hades's palace. With an acknowledging nod, Charon rowed away. Nico approached the entrance of the palace and was about to knock when the entrance flew open by itself. A little taken aback, he stepped inside and was momentarily struck with awe.

Though Nico had been in his father's palace many times, he still couldn't believe the beauty of the place.

The hall was at least the size of a football field, with four walls painted a shiny black colour. The marble floor was smooth as ice with countless tiles of intricate checkered designs. Fiery vines were strung across the walls, the flames flickering from green to blue and back. Yellow crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings, bathing the room with a warm eerie glow. At the far end of the room stood two majestic thrones made of real gold that reflected light, blinding Nico's eyes. The thrones were littered with genuine jewels; rubies, topaz, amethysts and many others that Nico didn't recognise.

Hades was comfortable on his throne with a yellowish jewel in his hands, inspecting it as if he were looking for signs of scratches on it. He was dressed simply in a black top and jeans, his hair covering part of his face. If he noticed Nico coming in, he didn't bother to acknowledge his son. The other throne was occupied by Hades' wife, Persephone, who wore a long and flowy obsidian black dress that had jewels as sequins. Her brown hair fell to her waist, in perfect curls. She didn't seem to notice Nico too, as she leaned in and examined the jewel together with Hades. Nico cleared his throat, and they both looked up.

"Um… hi father, hi Persephone." He bowed awkwardly and rose to meet their eyes.

"Ah… Nico. My son." Hades stopped studying the jewel, and Persephone retracted back into her throne seat, fixing her eyes on Nico with an unwavering gaze. Nico shifted uncomfortably, looking down at his feet, and up again.

"Just sent a hundred souls to where they belong. May I go now?" Nico hoped for a yes as an answer.

"Yes of course, I was just about to send you back to your room. Come, you've had a long day. Rest well, son." Hades walked Nico to another set of doors which led to the rooms, while Persephone scowled at her husband.

"Hades, what are you doing? He's not a baby, he can go to his room alright."

Hades muttered under his breath, and Nico wasn't sure if he'd heard him correctly, but it sounded like, _they are coming_. He didn't think much of it, as his father was always so busy with the souls. Hades probably meant that angry souls were going to come knocking on the door to avenge for their wrongful deaths. Hades could handle them with no problem.

Meanwhile, Hades led him down the hallway which was full of twists and turns Nico sometimes forgot his own way back to his room. The hallway felt like it was going on forever, and it was only after what seemed like eternity that they were right at the doorstep of his room. Hades snapped his fingers, and the door swung open.

"Catch some sleep. Duty at seven tomorrow." He said to Nico, and shoved him into the room. The last thing Nico saw before the door slammed shut in his face was his father's form dissipating into thick black smoke around the corner where they'd come from. Nico frowned slightly, wondering why Hades was in such a hurry but he didn't give it a second thought. He quickly unsheathed his Stygian iron sword and balanced it against the wall, heading to change out of his attire and prepare for bed. His eyelids felt droopy, his limbs heavy with weariness as his body ached to sleep.

Just as he was about to change, he heard the familiar caws of the Furies, accompanied with ear-piercing screams unlike that of monsters.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Nico had never felt so alarmed before. Normally he could differentiate the screams of the souls and the monsters lurking around in the underworld, but they were never this raw. As the son of Hades, he could smell the monsters' stench, and the souls' deathly odour, but this didn't have a foul smell. It was a fresh scent, a sign of life.

Forgetting sleep, Nico thundered across the room and grabbed his sword, turning the doorknob with a mighty force. It didn't budge, not one bit. Nico cursed, and slammed his body against the door, knowing this was all Hades's plan. Hades was planning something dangerous, and he wanted Nico to stay out of it. Though Nico was using strength, the door simply stayed put.

Grabbing the stygian sword from the side, he came down on the door knob with such force it broke off without any problem. Swift as lightning, he dashed out of the room and ran in the direction he'd come from. The pained screams continued, so high-pitched Nico couldn't tell whether it was a girl or a boy. _Maybe both_, he thought, and increased his speed. He rounded the corner and stopped just in time behind the doors, the entrance to Hades's throne room.

There, hovering in front of Hades were two Furies. Flaming wings flapped noisily, causing a gust of wind to blow in Nico's direction and messing up his already windswept hair. They had two glowing red hollow sockets as eyes, and humongous mouths almost the size of a python's. Their mouths were wide open, baring their discolored fangs as thick brown goo dripped from them. Black blood oozed from the wounds on their torn leathery skin, dripping onto the floor and forming a puddle.

There, being held captive by the Furies' talons, were two limp bodies. They looked fairly young, like teenagers. Their faces were smeared with blood, as if they'd just battled with the Furies (which they probably did) but had lost to them. Crimson red blood gushed out from the deep gashes on their limbs, mixing with the black puddle of fury blood.

By smell, Nico knew they were demigods. Demigods always had a distinctive smell, and those two emanated that particular odour. On the other hand, he had no idea why they were here in the Underworld and why the Furies had captured them. As son of the Underworld, he could sense death easily, but so far there hadn't been a sign that the two demigods were dead. Though motionless and with closed eyes, they were still taking in shallow breaths and their hearts were beating faintly. Nico wanted to rush in and save them, but he knew his father would be furious with him for meddling in his affairs. Nico huddled behind the wall and watched on closely.

Thankfully, Hades didn't seem to notice his presence. He inched closer towards the Furies and commanded them to release the demigods. With the uncurling of the Furies's talons, the two teenagers fell to the ground with a loud thud. They groaned in pain, their limbs twitching and struggling to make a movement. Hades walked over to them, knelt down, and examined them as if they were his prized possessions.

"Finally," he said, "Best baits ever." He rose and let his right palm hover above the two teenagers who were still attempting to regain their strength to stand up. Suddenly, they stopped moving, and collapsed onto the floor once more, this time looking very, very dead.

A new, rotting stench hit Nico's nose, and he cupped his nose. This smelt like death, the death of the two demigods right in front of him, but he didn't know why this was happening. The next second, Nico had his mouth hanging open, and his eyes widened massively.

Black mist swirled around the bodies of the two demigods, thicker than smoke and smelling much more horrible- like the combination of decomposing bodies accompanied by deathly smells. The chests of the teenagers arched upwards, making it seem like the mist was pulling them up like puppet strings. The same black mist escaped from their mouths, gashes, wounds, cuts, and through the pores of their skin. Their faces grew paler by the minute, almost turning a dark shade of green as life force left them to wither. At this sight, it made Nico gag and catch his breath.

Instinctively, Nico rushed out of his hiding place and halted in front of Hades, giving him a mighty push that had Hades stumbling and tripping over his own feet with a look of surprise on his face. He regained balance and composition, glaring at Nico with a vengeance as black shadows wrapped around him, swirling about. A sign that Hades was very, very angry.

"How dare you-" Hades riveted his gaze and looked over Nico's shoulder, his voice faltering. Instantly, the shadows around him disappeared and a smug tugged at his lips. Glee danced in his eyes.

"Well, well. Too late, my dear son. Watch this."

Behind Nico, the Furies cawed, and he turned around just in time to witness the remaining life energy forcing out of the demigods' bodies, joining the massive black hurricane that hovered above them. It whirled around continuously, as if dust particles were trying to weave their way through each other. It looked like a thunderstorm, and _sounded_ like one too, with the piercing shrills and tortured screams that came from inside the mist hurricane, making the ground beneath Nico's feet tremble.

"What-" Nico managed a croak that couldn't possibly beat the noise coming from the hurricane- the souls of the two demigods. The pain that they were going through, the inescapable suffering. Nico was sure he could feel Hades' grin on his back.

After what seemed like eternity, the mist storm died down and settled onto the ground, splitting itself into two. The mist started to morph, and Nico braced himself for the worse. For all he knew, it could be a monster that Hades had made from the two demigods' souls to punish Nico for interfering. He felt for his Stygian sword, and held on to the hilt.

Two black shapes appeared, the exact replica of the two demigods that laid motionless on the ground. Their souls hovered a few above the ground, staring impassively at their bodies. Nico let out a breath he'd been holding, his eyes never leaving them.

Hades strided from behind him, and towards the demigods with a smile. "Welcome my dears, what are your names, may I ask?"

They glanced up and for the first time, Nico could see their faces clearly. The girl was about his age, maybe younger, and she had long wavy hair that touched lightly at her waist. She was petite-looking, with small pointed face and rounded eyes. The guy was about Nico's age, with a well-built body and a face with chiseled features. His curly hair covered his left eye, reminding Nico of Hades. They wore deadpan expressions, but Nico could tell that the girl had been crying.

"I'm Riena," the girl spoke, "and this is Leron."

"Well nice to meet you, Riena, daughter of Poseidon, and you Leron, son of Zeus. I expect you know that you're going to have to do something for me." Hades smiled, and Nico clenched his fists, getting a clearer idea of what Hades was planning.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys, just thought I'd share this quote. I really love it a lot. (: Pardon me for any mistakes in this chapter, because I wrote it in one sitting and I haven't proofread it yet. But do enjoy. c:

**Don't write it right, just write it-and then make it right later.** **- Tara Moss**

**Chapter 3**

"You're not planning to use them, are you… to get what you want." Nico spoke, gritting his teeth and holding in his anger. He shot a glance at Riena and Leron who were standing- floating a few metres away from him, staring at the ground with their sunken and bloodshot eyes. They looked utterly lifeless.

"Well, of course I'm, son. Why else do you think I've captured them for? To play with?" Hades sneered proudly, and walked back to his throne, why Persephone was still seated. Nico bit back a cuss as he glared at Persephone. Persephone had been there all this while, and she hadn't stopped Hades from stealing the demigods' souls, which maddened Nico. She stared back without sympathy, a look of coldness that sent tingles up Nico's spine, but Nico couldn't really read her expression. He broke the gaze and concentrated on his father, who sat straight in his throne, his black bident in his hand.

It was a three feet long staff with smoldering red and black vines curled around it as if it'd just been dipped in a pit of fire. Two sharp points stuck out at the top of the staff, made of black mist and swirls that radiated dark power. Shadows surrounded the staff, morphing into faceless ghouls that screeched and sent black sparks into the air.

"So, Riena. About that trident that your father owns, supposedly," Hades began, resisting a grin, "could you get it on my behalf?" He finished, expecting Riena to respond quickly. She rose her head to look at him, not making any attempt to answer his question. Nico saw Hades raise his eyebrows slightly.

"Will you, or will you not, daughter of Poseidon? You do know what I can do to your body. Or should I say, your carcass?" Hades laughed, and raised his bident in the direction of Riena and Leron's bodies, forcing Nico to turn to look.

The bodies lay still, grey and devoid of any life force. Their faces were pale green, and what had used to be their eyes were now deep black holes that you could put your fingers through. Nico felt his stomach churn, and his head spun as he thought of all the dead bodies that he'd seen in his life, nothing as gruesome as these.

"No! Wait… I… I will. I will help you." Riena blurted out, breaking Nico's train of thought. He gazed straight into Riena's eyes, and saw fear and alarm in her eyes. If only he could help her...

"Me too. I suppose you want my dad's lightning bolt too, don't you. I will help you. Just… leave our bodies alone." Leron spoke suddenly with a straight face. If he was scared, he didn't show it, and Nico was relieved to know that. It wouldn't do them any good to show fear in front of the god of the underworld. Hades seemed to be a little taken aback by Leron's sudden response, but nevertheless his sinister grin returned.

"Very well, Leron. You do as I ask, and I'll make sure you get your bodies back. Deal or no deal?"

Riena and Leron didn't answer, but Nico could tell they were pondering about Hades' requests. Who wouldn't want to return to their bodies, and when the deal was just to get hold of their fathers' items? _No_, Nico scolded himself, _Don't even think about it._ Finally, they looked at each other and came to an agreement.

"Okay. We will do it. But leave our bodies alone." Leron replied without enthusiasm, and Riena bit her lip. Nico looked fixedly at the two of them, deep in thought.

"I'll go with them, father. You know, just to make sure." Nico volunteered, and Hades' gleeful smile turned into a suspicious frown. Nico put on a deadpan face and waited for Hades' permission. As much as he wanted to help the two demigods, he couldn't afford to anger his father. Hades, after all, had a powerful weapon in his hand. Hades considered for a minute or so, and agreed.

"i expect you'll not disappoint me, Nico di Angelo." Nico winced as he heard his full name. He didn't like anyone calling him by his full name, especially not Hades. He could only nod and hope Hades would not suspect him.

Persephone cleared her throat, and instantly got everyone's attention, even Hades'. She gestured Nico towards a set of doors which opened to the weaponry room. Hades snarled at this sight.

"Persephone, what are you doing? That is my room. You're not supposed to enter it." He started to get up but Persephone held up her hand.

Persephone raised an eyebrow.

"Nico needs some weapons to defend himself, doesn't he? In case the gods attack him." Hades kept quiet upon hearing that.

Persephone led Nico into the room where weapons were practically everywhere. Axes and arrows sat on the shelves, the tables filled with sharpened spears and celestial bronze daggers that glinted. Dozens of crossbows hung from the walls, aligned from the smallest to biggest, together with swords made from Imperial gold.

Persephone walked over to a shelf, and picked out a helmet that was black in colour with large onyx gemstones encrusted on it. Nico took it, and it instantly shrank to the size of a gemstone, small enough to fit the pocket of his jeans.

"This is…"

"Yes, no doubt. The Helm of Darkness. I figure it'll be useful to you. Take good care of it." Persephone smiled for the first time, and Nico saw that it was genuine and warm. He wanted to ask her why she'd helped him, and had even given him one of Hades' precious items, when Hades bellowed from outside the room.

"Are you done yet?!"

Without a word, they exited the room, and Hades shut the weaponry room doors with a wave. Nico walked to where Riena and Leron were, and stood beside them. They made no move to talk to him. _They probably think I'm working for Hades, _He thought bitterly.

"You'd better get going. I'm giving you two days to bring me the trident and the lightning bolt. If you don't, be prepared to be souls forever." Hades smirked, and snapped his fingers. Instantly, a giant black orb appeared in front of the three demigods. It crackled with power, and the buttons in the orb buzzed noisily. The orb began to crack open, allowing for an opening big enough for the three demigods to squeeze into it.

"Get in that tele portal and choose your destination. Remember, two days. See you very soon, dear demigods. And son." Hades bid them farewell, and vanished into thin air. Persephone waved at them, and mouthed a good luck before walking over to carry Riena and Leron's bodies back into a certain room. Nico heard them gasp.

"Don't worry, she's a nice person. She will protect your bodies." Nico reassured them, but they didn't look convinced.

Nico led them into the orb, and squinted at the buttons. They had eleven buttons, leading to the territories of the other eleven gods.

"Where to first?" He asked, expecting no reply again, but this time Riena spoke.

"My father's place first."

"Okay." Nico pressed the button which had Poseidon's name on it. The doors closed with a massive bang and the orb shot up into the air and out of the palace, into the underworld. The screams of the souls hit Nico's ears again, but he could barely hear them anymore with such bizarre noises coming from the orb. It screeched non-stop, and jerked every few moments, thrashing the demigods about. Nico tried to balance himself, but it was quite impossible, with the orb tumbling in the air at the speed of light. He kept bumping into Riena and Leron, and grunted to himself.

He noticed that Riena and Leron were also rolling about, unable to stay in one spot. Leron kept yelling at the top of his voice, and Riena screamed hysterically, every now and then bumping into Nico and not realising that. Nico gripped onto one of the railings and held himself together, knowing this was going to be a rough ride.

"Hold on to something!" He suggested, and this time Riena and Leron heeded his advice, clutching onto the railings just as he'd done so. He closed his eyes and thought of whatever he was going to face. The two gods, Zeus and Poseidon, and how he was going to bring Riena and Leron back safe and alive. He despised the fact that Hades had such evil intentions, and would resort to using two innocent demigods. He disliked the fact that Hades wanted so much power, power that wasn't his. What was power? It only made Hades greedy and wanting for more. It didn't really matter whether Hades was his father. As much as Nico wanted to obey his father, he couldn't watch those two demigods beside him die.

"I will never let him get what he wants. Never." He silently vowed not to let Hades get what he wanted. Nico was so deep in thought, he didn't notice that the orb had landed on hard ground, knocking him on the head and bringing him back to earth.


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys! Another chapter up just for you and me. :) Having so much fun writing this and I'm really glad that people are actually reading my story! Yikes, you guys are beyond fabulous. *sends kisses* Sadly, I'll be going on a hiatus very soon as I have a major exam coming up, so I will not be updating this story anytime soon. This is probably going to be the last one… *cries* Well, until then.

Meanwhile, here's a chapter for you guys that I wrote in two sittings. Enjoy lovelies. :)

PS: Have a great day~

**Chapter 4**

"Ouch," Nico groaned as the three of them hit the concrete floor, rolling along with the giant orb, making it seem like they were hamsters running on the wheel. The giant orb sputtered black sparks, and the alarm button went off, filling the orb tele portal with loud shrills. Though it hurt Nico's ears, he simply couldn't bring his hands up to cover them. The speedy orb sent them flying in it, and Nico was careful to avoid pressing any of the other ten buttons. He sure didn't want to ride in this insane tele portal again.

Thank the gods, the orb finally came to a halt, giving Nico a jolt as he smashed into the two demigods once more. Riena and Leron yelled in unison.

"Can you stop that already? Stop crashing into us." Leron shot Nico a death glare and pulled open the doors. The doors squeaked, as if unwilling to let them out, but Leron forced it open. He stepped out of the orb, followed by Riena, and then Nico. Once they were all out, the black orb gave a shudder and dissolved into black smoke, seeping through the floor which they'd landed on.

"Sorry about that. Ride was jerky." Nico apologised to Leron, who looked as if he'd just gone to war with the orb portal. Nico never knew souls could get injured, but here in front of him, Leron had huge bruises on his forearm and legs, and the bump on his head was protruding. He turned his attention to Riena and noticed a few cuts on her limbs and face. He also realised that he could somehow touch the souls of Riena and Leron, but he didn't mention that. It made sense for a son of Hades to be able to come into contact with them.

Nico rose his eyes and met Riena's, who stared back at him intently, studying him just like how Hades had studied their bodies. He looked away swiftly, making a mental note never to make eye contact again. To Nico, it felt as if his soul deep inside was being read, and he was uncomfortable with that fact.

"He's right. It was… thrilling and rough." Riena said as a matter-of-factly, not meeting Nico and Leron's eyes. Nico had a feeling that Riena was considering whether or not to trust him. On the other hand, Nico saw the scowl on Leron's face, as if he didn't really agree with Riena and was about to rebut. Nico could feel Leron's piercing eyes on him, but he tried to ignore that feeling.

"So," Riena broke the silence and brought the attention back to where they were. "Here we are." At her voice, Nico focused on finding out _where _they were, and figured out that they were standing by the road.

The street they were in bustled with activity, and vehicles whizzed past the roads, music blasting in the air. Tall buildings shadowed over them, and light danced across the exterior parts. To their left, there was a mall that had strings of colourful light hung across it. They blinked constantly, forming the words: Welcome to Tervenra Mall.

Along the roads, restaurants were packed with overflowing customers, some having to queue to wait for seats. They didn't seem to have noticed Nico and two floating demigod souls. Nico figured out that the mist was concealing them from the humans.

Up above, the sky was a reddish orange colour, the soft hues gradually setting back into the horizon. Nico looked around him, and tried to drink in whatever that he was seeing, clutching his stomach. It was pretty hard for a son of the underworld to be surrounded by so many living people, not to mention the living scent that was wafting into his nose at top speed. He also didn't know what the time was, considering the fact that time in the underworld was totally different.

"Hey, you alright? You look a little pale." Riena seemed to notice Nico's discomfort. Nico forced a smile.

"Yeah, fine. Where exactly are we?" Leron snorted a little, as if he couldn't believe Nico was asking this question. It made Nico frown very much like Hades. He didn't find it funny.

"It's Miami, of course! Dude, is it your first time here?" Leron commented with disbelief.

"Yes it is. I've never left the underworld. I'm the son of Hades, remember? He never lets me out." Nico whispered loud enough for the two demigods to hear. It seemed to do the job, for Leron immediately kept quiet, and shuffled his feet. Riena looked from Nico to Leron, and back, biting her lip. Nico could tell she'd sensed the tension between him and Leron.

"Alright, guys. It's time to go to the beach to find my dad. This way." Riena turned to her right and led the way. Nico followed behind her, with Leron next to him. They both stayed silent. Occasionally, Nico stole some glances at Leron, but he had his eyes on the ground the entire time. Nico wanted to confront Leron and ask him why he hated him so much, when it dawned on him. Who wouldn't hate the son of Hades, the underworld? Nico shifted a little away from Leron, and tried to take his mind off things by looking at the alive street around him. He'd never been outside the underworld before, and with so many alive people around him. Though it felt fresh and rejuvenating, Nico was uneasy among throngs of living humans. To him, it felt like the dead were better than the alive.

They continued walking along the busy streets to the right. Gradually, the noises died down behind them, aroma of food in the air replaced by a salty smell- the ocean breeze. It caressed Nico's face gently, ruffling Nico's hair. From a distance, Nico could hear the soft crashing of waves against rocks, the splashing sounds of seawater. It felt like music to the ears, for Nico had never felt so at ease before.

"Nice, isn't it?" Riena sighed with envy. "We're almost there."

It was already night time by the time the three of them arrived on the beach. With every step Nico took, golden sand beneath his feet sank deeply, and he had to wriggle out of the miniature quicksand. He spotted Riena and Leron just next to him, facing the same problem. The three of them lumbered to shore, with Leron occasionally tripping over his own feet and cursing under his breath.

Very soon, they were on shore. Nico gazed at the ocean. The water rippled slightly, glistening under the moonlight and reflected silver. The calm sloshing of water made the ocean look so inviting, Nico almost wanted to take a dip in it. Down at his feet, icy cool water rose to his ankle, freezing him to the bone.

"We're here. Poseidon is just down there, in the ocean bed." Riena said, and walked deeper into the water like the cold didn't matter to her. _A daughter of Poseidon_, Nico thought. Of course water didn't affect her. He checked on Leron, whose face had turned blue from the cold.

"Brr.. co..cold." Leron stammered, his teeth chattering. Nico closed his eyes and tried to think of the fire pits in the underworld, how hot they were.

"How are we going to get down there? Swim? We can't breathe underwater." Nico pointed out, and Riena immediately fished out two soggy seaweed from her pocket, apparently knowing that Nico was going to ask that question. She handed them to Nico and Leron and told them to eat up. Holding his breath, Nico gulped down the piece of salty seaweed in one go, hoping the taste wouldn't linger in his mouth. Leron was not so smart- he chewed it slowly, making a face after each bite, but soon finished it.

"Okay, guys. I'm going to call for some assistance." Riena bent down and reached into the water, using her other hand to make an animal whistle.

"What are you doing?" Nico questioned, at the same time praying it wasn't going to be a seal or a dolphin. Animals hated demigods like him, as he reeked badly of death. He didn't exactly fancy animals either.

"I'm calling for the hippocampi, Poseidon's creations. They'll take us to him."

As they stood on the shore, Nico thought about how the hippocampi looked like, and braced himself for whatever that was awaiting him.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The hippocampi never came. Nico didn't know how long they'd been standing in shallow water, but already his feet were numb. Somewhere above, a flock of squawking birds flew past the ocean, breaking the tranquility.

So far, there hadn't been a sign of moving creatures. Occasionally there were higher tides, and Nico thought that the hippocampi had come.

But they were just waves.

He took a quick look at Leron, who seemed to be trembling from the cold. He had his arms wrapped around himself and he stood very still. Suddenly his knees buckled, and Nico reached out to grab his arm just in time before he fell into the water.

"Thanks." Leron muttered, and Nico nodded, helping him to stabilise himself. A gust of wind blew, and Nico shuddered uncontrollably. Grimacing, Nico pinned his eyes on the ocean, hoping to spot the hippocampi that Riena had mentioned. He was sure the cold would take a toll on him just like it had on Leron.

"This shouldn't be the case. Hippocampi are usually very responsive… I don't know what's keeping them." Riena said suddenly, bending down and placing her palm on the surface of the water. She creased her brows.

"This is strange, I don't feel their presence anywhere near us." She got up, and turned to face Nico and Leron, her lips closed together. Under the moonlight, her lips looked purple to Nico, which meant that she too was beginning to feel the chills.

"What now?" Leron asked, trying to shake the cold off. Riena said nothing, but Nico could tell what she was thinking about.

"We swim."

She grabbed them both by their wrists, and urged them forward. Nico tripped and plunged into the water along with Leron, falling face first into the water. An icy sensation burned his lungs as he accidentally gulped down mouthfuls of water, his skin prickling painfully. Thankfully, he could still take shallow breaths because of the seaweed, but the freezing water ate into his skin, a pain so sharp it took the air out of his lungs. His eyes stung from the salt as black spots started attacking his vision. Kicking about, he reached out to grab onto Leron, but brushed against a seaweed instead.

Just when he thought he was going to drown and freeze to death, warmth spread through him, draining away the seawater and drying his wet clothes as though he were back on dry land.

Except he was not.

He blinked open his eyes and found that he were enclosed in a humongous orb-like ball. For a moment, Nico thought it was the tele portal, but he soon realised it was different from what he was in. The lining of the wall was made of water particles that shimmered. It was cool and slippery at touch. Outside the ball, fishes swam in the murky water, occasionally giving him strange looks. Some tried to get in, but most stayed away. Behind him, someone gave loud yelps and smashed into him.

"Save me, save me!" Leron yelled, clearly clueless that he was no longer in the water. Nico tried to calm him down, while Riena stood in one corner, her palm against the wall as she controlled the course of the quirky-looking orb.

"Hey, it's fine. Look, we're alright." Nico said, shaking Leron slightly. Leron stopped thrashing about and was blank for a moment before realizing that they were safe from the water, the cold.

"We're dry. How is that possible?" He thought out loud.

"It is, with air bubbles. It took me quite a while to summon one. Sorry about that." Riena released her palm, and the air bubble lurched forward, gliding through the water and schools of fish at a steady pace. Nico slumped against the wall of the air bubble, taking deep breaths. Surprisingly, the burns in his lungs from earlier on had already healed, but Nico didn't know why. Maybe it was the magic in Riena's air bubble that did the job.

"Thanks," he said softly, and looked at Riena. Their eyes met again, but this time Riena riveted her gaze.

"No problem."

Meanwhile, Leron seemed to have forgotten the whole traumatic experience. He was propped up against the wall, already snoring away. Nico couldn't blame him. After what seemed like hours of standing in freezing water, the energy in him had disappeared completely, to the point where it took all of his strength to utter a word. Adding to that, he realised he hadn't slept in days, after what had happened at Hades' palace.

"You catch some sleep too, I'll bring us to my father safely." Riena noticed Nico's weariness, and she urged him to sleep. Nico wanted to protest, to point out it was unsafe for a girl to lead them, and that she needed sleep too, but he was much too exhausted. His eyelids shut, and he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the floor of the air bubble.

It wasn't long before Nico felt the air bubble shudder beneath him. He jolted awake a second before the air bubble blasted into pieces, thrusting him and the two demigods into the water. It happened so quickly, Nico didn't have the chance to react. Before he knew it, he was back in the sea, with the cold sensation tugging at his gut.

But that was the least of his worries.

Somewhere below him, the distant piercing yells rang in the water, so familiar Nico thought his ears were playing tricks on him. He glanced around him, expecting Riena and Leron to be there.

There was nobody. Instantly, Nico felt his heart thump. The screams down at the bottom… Riena and Leron couldn't possibly have _drowned, _could they?

It seemed like the water had decided to answer his question. A deep rumbling came from the ocean bed, and the entire sea shook with such force Nico almost thought he was back on land experiencing an earthquake. He barely had time to register what was happening before gravity pressed on him and dragged him deeper into the water, a suction force so powerful it tore through Nico's shirt as he tumbled into the darker waters.


End file.
